An announcement is expected to be coming soon that Suns lead assistant coach Bill Cartwright and assistant coach Dan Majerle have new contracts to return next season.

Assistant coach Igor Kokoskov already was under contract for next season. Back-row assistant coach John Shumate, added to the staff prior to last season, likely will return to a scouting role for Phoenix after spending most of his 13 years with the organization as a college scout.

This is a big day for Kokoskov. The Yugoslavia native will become a U.S. citizen in an afternoon ceremony today at US Airways Center. He became the first non-American coach in NBA history in 2000 when he was on Alvin Gentry's Los Angeles Clippers staff. He came to Phoenix from Detroit's staff with Terry Porter in 2008 and wound up working for Gentry again. He has been a key tactical aide and a hands-on development coach for Goran Dragic.

Majerle will be the head coach of the Suns' NBA Summer League team next month in Las Vegas, just as he was last season. Suns advance scout Noel Gillespie, another key member who will be returning, will be Majerle's assistant for the Suns' mini-camp and five games there.